Most fans of Italian cuisine have repeatedly thought about how to cook spaghetti. Or rather, how to cook them correctly. How to make sure that a hearty dinner does not turn into a shapeless lump of dough? In this article, we’ll talk about what varieties of pasta exist, how to cook spaghetti, as well as the most common dishes and true masterpieces of culinary art.
A bit of history
Spaghetti is a special kind of pasta with a cross-sectional diameter of about two millimeters. In length, they can reach 15 cm. This product appeared back in 1842 in Italy, namely in Naples. For its resemblance to twine, pasta also received such a name. There is a spaghetti museum in Pontedassio, which contains about 600 unique recipes for their preparation. Separately presented are original methods of preparing all kinds of sauces and seasonings for them. An excursion to such a museum will help you learn not only about how to cook spaghetti, but also about the types of this product.
Contrary to popular belief, spaghetti is a low-calorie product. It only means that it can be used by those who carefully monitor their figure. And indeed! Are there many obese Italians? Unlikely. Durum wheat spaghetti contains a large amount of fiber, as well as carbohydrates and vitamins that support the optimal weight of a person.
How to cook spaghetti?
This dish is loved equally by both adults and children. Spaghetti are popular not only in their homeland, but also far beyond its borders. The main secret of properly cooked pasta is to cook it - spaghetti should be slightly undercooked or, as Italians say, al dente.
Due to its structure, composition and high temperature of the water, in the process of cooking pasta independently reach readiness when they are thrown into a colander. Undercooking spaghetti is far from the best option. In this case, they will unpleasantly crunch on the teeth. So how to cook spaghetti right? It turns out that there are several nuances that need to be considered when preparing this product.
The correct water temperature and its optimal amount
Italian chefs are sure that the right secret of perfect spaghetti is a properly selected pan. She must be big. No, not just big, but very big. What to do to domestic housewives who do not have dishes with a wide bottom? You need to take the largest pan, pour water into it (almost to the top) and bring to a boil. It is boiling water that is the ideal condition for making pasta. So, a standard pack of spaghetti (250 grams) needs at least 2.5 liters of water. Only in this case, the pasta will be evenly distributed in the pan and will be cooked correctly.
All lower the spaghetti vertically, placing them in a fan. That's right - no need to break them. After a few seconds, the lower part will become soft, and the pasta will be able to completely immerse in water. Once this has happened, you can reduce the heat and salt the spaghetti (10 grams of salt per 100 grams of product).
Useful Tricks
Many throw spaghetti in a colander and for some reason still rinse with cold water. You do not need to do this. It is possible, but only when pasta will be used in the future for the preparation of salad.
To properly prepare them, you need to throw the pasta into a colander and quickly season with olive or butter. This little trick will not let spaghetti stick together. Moreover, this option is ideal for those who prefer to eat pasta without all kinds of sauces and dressings.
Do not pour out the water that remains after cooking - it can be useful for making sauce. The most appropriate dish for serving pasta is a deep plate preheated.
Having learned how to cook spaghetti, you can begin to study several recipes that will surely take pride of place in the cookbook of any housewife.
How to cook spaghetti bolognese?
This recipe should be in the arsenal of any self-respecting housewife. Perhaps this is the most famous sauce that is used to dress spaghetti. But here you need to make a small correction: many mistakenly believe that Bolognese is a liquid tomato sauce that is served with pasta. In fact, it is nothing but a stew. Properly prepared sauce is homogeneous and seems dry, but this is only at first glance. Meeting with pasta, the sauce reveals its qualities, is saturated with a persistent aroma and only then does the culinary extravaganza begin.
So, we cook spaghetti at home, namely - bolognese. First you need to prepare the vegetables: finely chop the onions, carrots and celery (1 pc.). After that, they should be fried in a saucepan: first of all, onion, then - celery and only then add carrots. This trinity has its name: in Italy, the vegetable mixture is called soffrito, in France - the world. Once the vegetables are ready, you can set them aside and proceed to the meat component of the carnival.
We continue to cook
We proceed to the preparation of the meat part of the stew. It is best to take two types of meat: pork and beef in the same proportions (250 g each). You can’t just take and add the minced meat to the vegetables. To get a rich and rich taste, it is necessary to fry the meat separately, so that it is caramelized. Stuffing should be well knead with a spatula to avoid the formation of lumps.
First, the meat will be stewed in its own juice. As soon as a characteristic sound is heard, it will become clear that the minced meat began to fry. The main thing here is not to overcook it. Now you can start cooking pasta. At a time when spaghetti reach readiness, you can mix vegetables and meat ingredients, add tomatoes and two cloves of garlic.
Spaghetti and stew are served separately. Do not mix them immediately - it is better to do it separately in a plate.
Milanese pasta
Many people think about how to cook spaghetti. The recipe for this dish is worth considering, if only because it combines some rather unusual ingredients in an amazing way:
- Spaghetti themselves - 300 grams.
- Butter - literally two tablespoons.
- Onion.
- Premium wheat flour - two tablespoons.
- Tomato puree or pasta - 3 tablespoons.
- A fragrant mixture of dried herbs - a pinch will be quite enough.
- Pork ham - 200 grams.
- Mushrooms (it is better to use ceps, but champignons are also quite suitable) - 100 grams.
- Spice.
The recipe is designed for 2 persons. The dish is prepared in less than an hour. This is a great option for a joint dinner at the end of the day.
How to cook?
It is already known how to cook spaghetti with minced meat. Now you can get acquainted with another, no less interesting recipe. So, first you need to melt the butter in a pan and fry the onions in it, then add the flour and continue to fry for another 2-3 minutes. After removing the pan from the heat and gradually pour water into it, watching the density of the sauce. You can return the dishes to the stove and add tomato puree and aromatic herbs, bring to a boil. At this time, you can cut the ham and mushrooms into thin slices, and then add them to the sauce.
In fact, it was the hardest part. It remains only to cook spaghetti, toss them in a colander, seasoning with butter and serve with cooked sauce.
Spaghetti amatricana
Why not use this recipe for an unusual dinner? Especially if everyone already knows how to cook spaghetti with cheese. Products needed for cooking:
- Olive oil.
- A little over 100 grams of bacon.
- One medium onion.
- Two cloves of garlic.
- 800 grams of Pelatti tomatoes.
- 30 grams of grated Parmesan cheese.
- A pinch of hot chili pepper.
- Freshly ground black pepper and salt.
- And of course, spaghetti themselves - 350 grams.
This recipe is for 4 people. Cooking takes no more than one hour.
Recipe
First of all, it is necessary to heat olive oil in a deep pan. Cut the bacon into thin slices and fry it, seasoning with freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt.
Finely chop the onions and garlic, add to the bacon (or pancetta, as is done in Rome). Fry until onion has a clear color and characteristic softness.
After that, tomatoes are sent to the pan, which it is advisable to immediately pour over with boiling water and free from the peel. They need to be stretched with a spatula. The whole sauce remains on fire until thickened, after which it is necessary to reduce the flame and continue to simmer another 15 minutes.
Cook spaghetti to al dente, put them in a colander and leave a glass of water in which pasta was cooked. Now you need to combine the paste and sauce, diluting with broth. Sprinkle the whole dish with grated cheese and garnish with fresh herbs.
Ah, this carbonara!
Speaking of Italy, one cannot fail to mention this dish. It is time to learn how to cook spaghetti carbonara. The ingredients necessary for cooking can be found in almost every refrigerator:
- Bacon or ham - 10 grams.
- High fat cream - 200 ml.
- 3 egg yolks.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese - 50 grams.
- A few cloves of garlic.
- Vegetable or olive oil.
- Spaghetti - 200 grams.
First of all, it is necessary to finely chop the garlic and bacon (in thin slices), fry them together in olive oil. While they are in the pan, you can grate the cheese. Beat egg yolks and season with salt and pepper. Add cream to them and mix well.
Boil the spaghetti until half cooked, put them in a colander, and then put them in a pan. Then add the creamy-egg mass and mix quickly so that the eggs do not curl. Then add the bacon, mix and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bon Appetit!
Pasta with beef and mozzarella - greetings from Italy
You will need the following ingredients:
- Spaghetti themselves - 400 grams.
- The same amount of minced beef.
- 4 small tomatoes.
- 1 medium onion.
- 2-3 cloves of garlic.
- Olive or vegetable oil.
- 200 grams of mozzarella.
- Salt, pepper and basil.
Cut the onion into rings and fry in a pan until golden brown. When it is almost ready, add chopped garlic, and then chopped tomatoes into rings. The last component must be mashed with a spatula, but not mashed.
Separately, fry ground beef and mix it with a vegetable mixture. Simultaneously boil pasta to al dente, add them to stewed vegetables and 1/2 part of mozzarella, mix thoroughly, then cover and leave on the stove. After half an hour, add the remaining mozzarella, mix and leave the dish for 5 minutes, after which it can be served, sprinkled with grated cheese.
Everyone knows for sure how to cook spaghetti with tomato paste, but even such a simple dish has little secrets that make it even more delicious and fragrant.